“We are ready,” said Torstein Thorsen Ekern, CEO of Greenstat, at a hydrogen event during Arendalsuka.
At an industrial site in Kristiansand, construction of a 20MW plant commences this week. The factory is expected to be operational by the end of 2026.
The project is strategically located for a growing market for hydrogen. Once the plant is operational, it will be possible to offer green hydrogen as a carbon-free maritime fuel for traffic along the Norwegian coast and in the North Sea basin. Pending market growth and available power, the Kristiansand plant can be expanded with an additional 40 MW.
Earlier this year, Å Energi decided to build its first hydrogen production plant at Kongsberg, Norway, adjacent to the Pikerfoss hydropower plant. Operational in 2025, the pilot plant will produce 280 tons of hydrogen annually.
Glencore Nikkelverk has produced hydrogen for their own consumption in Kristiansand for more than 60 years. Following investments of NOK 165 million, Nils Gjelsten, Director of Operational Excellence at Glencore Nikkelverk said the new on-site factory is scheduled to open this fall.
MORE: See all the pictures from the Hydrogen events
“Agder is a Norwegian center of gravity for hydrogen and ammonia. In addition to five known projects, and the long-standing hydrogen production facility at Glencore in Kristiansand, several regional players have announced that they are working on new hydrogen projects,” says Tanja Erichsen, Head of the Agder H2 Cluster.
ON THE ROAD AGAIN
Hydrogen is happening also on the roads, in the transportation sector. MAN has announced the arrival of 100 hydrogen fueled trucks in Norway next year. Planning to build a network of hydrogen filling stations, Vireon is a company with plans to supply a growing fleet of vehicles with hydrogen.
“Today, Norway has only two hydrogen filling stations – one in Oslo and one in Trondheim. We will build more stations between Oslo and Trondheim, and also between Oslo and Stavanger,” said Per Øyvind Voie, CEO of Vireon.
During the Arendalsuka events, the company Ammonia presented a patented pre-frozen underground ammonia storage system which is designed to provide higher levels of safety and lower costs than standard land tank systems.
“Our ambition is to build the first facility in 2026-2027,” said Torstein Melhus, Chairperson of Ammonia.
